Remixing and Revising OER

You may want to make changes to existing OER you have found, or even combine different OER together. There are many reasons for doing this:

• address a particular teaching or learning style
• adjust for a different proficiency level
• adapt for a different discipline
• accommodate for a different learning environment
• address diversity needs
• meet a cultural preference
• meet a regional or national preference
• address a school, district, or institution's standardized curriculum
• make the activity more accessible for differently-abled people
• add material contributed or suggested by students
• translate the activity into another language
• correct errors or inaccuracies
• update the activity with (current) information 
• add more media or links to other resources

This list is remixed and adapted from three CC BY Links to an external site. licensed resources: the B.C. Open Textbook Adaptation Guide Links to an external site. by Lauri Aesoph of BCcampus, “Adapt” in WikiEducator’s OER Handbook for Educators Links to an external site., and “Why Remix Open Educational Resources?” Links to an external site. created by Liam Green-Hughes.

 

Getting Started

If you found something you want to make edits to, first ensure that...

1. the license allows you to make edits - if it is copyright or has a Creative Commons No Derivatives license, you will not be able to publish your edits 
2. the content is in an editable format or can be converted to an editable format (for example, if it's an image in a PDF file, you will not be able to edit it)

Here are some resources to inspire your revising and remixing:

• If you are interested in adapting a smaller chunk of content, such as a lesson plan or an activity, read COERLL's "Adapting" newsletter Links to an external site.
• OpenStax' article "Localization and OER" Links to an external site. explains the process of taking educational resources developed for one context and adapting them for other contexts 
• For those looking to adopt and modify an entire textbook, read BCcampus' "6 Steps to modifying an Open Textbook" Links to an external site. 
• Remix example: The lesson "You're Invited Links to an external site." by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) was written in English and then adapted for Spanish speakers, and can be remixed for other languages and levels in OER Commons or in Google Docs
• This presentation by Flavia Belpoliti Links to an external site. on the ways instructors can adapt OER, with examples of how she adapted resources for her own class
  

 

Tools for building and remixing educational content

 

Adding a License to Your Revisions and Remixes

The video "Creating OER and Combining Licenses" by Florida Virtual Campus, which we shared on the Choosing a License for Your Materials page, clearly explains the licensing logistics of combining and remixing OER.

 

Learn More about Adapting OER

•  View videos from "Selecting and Adapting Materials for Online Language Learning and Teaching" Links to an external site. , an online webinar series by the NFLRC at the University of Hawai`i
•  Remixing Open Sources with Conflicting Licenses Links to an external site. by Tamara Marnell (Central Oregon Community College)

 

 

 

 

Go to the next page to learn about incorporating copyright content into your course legally.